Berry Crazy

(photos: wild raspberries, making turnovers, finally eating the HOT turnovers, a pre-consumption photo)
We've gone a little berry crazy here. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries -- they all seem to love the red soil and regular rain. Wild or domestic, they thrive. Sunday we went exploring for a "pick your own" adventure. The place selected ended up being what I'm coming to think of as an Asheville-area specialty. Acres of land, beautiful and partially domesticated, sprinkled with roaming babyboomers finding their new way in the world. This particular berry wonderland was also home to handmade solar water heaters, a variety of composting strategies, a well-stocked trout pond, and a host of organic-looking living structures. A friendly if somewhat reclusive volunteer (separated, divorced, finding his way through physical labor and organic living) directs us to the community center and sign-in, points out the recycled containers and gestures in the direction of raspberry and blueberry patches.

The kids think it's a little piece of heaven on earth. "These are the best berries I've ever tasted!" Never mind that the raspberries are almost done and the blueberries will peak in a couple weeks. Enough treats were found to fill a couple pint baskets and to stain four lips a lovely shade of pinkish-purple.

Once home, the surviving berries needed to be folded into turnovers and popped in the oven. The results may never grace the front of Gourmet - but they earned a five-star review.

Today we checked on the wild berries on our property. Lovely little jewels beckoned us to overlook the scratched shins and poison ivy threat. We're heading back tomorrow properly attired! Think there may be more turnovers on the menu.